Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope
WFIRST • Missions & Center • Future
Overview:
The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) is the top-ranked large space mission from the Astro2010 Decadal Survey. NASA is conducting a formulation phase study of a design reference mission that would be capable of addressing essential questions in the areas of exoplanets, dark energy, and infrared astrophysics.
The objective of the WFIRST dark energy survey is to determine the nature of dark energy in the Universe by measuring the expansion history and the growth rate of large scale structure (the pattern of galaxies and galaxy clusters in the universe). Three different techniques will be used to study these observables to probe the dark energy equation of state and test the validity of General Relativity.
The WFIRST microlensing survey will detect many more exoplanets, or planets around other stars. This will lead to a statistical census of exoplanets with masses greater than a tenth of the Earth's mass at distances at 0.5 AU and beyond. The results from the WFIRST microlensing survey will be a perfect complement to the exoplanet statistics from Kepler, and will provide invaluable information on answering questions about planet formation, evolution, and prevalence in the galaxy.
WFIRST will also conduct large-area infrared imaging and spectroscopic surveys over multiple epochs to enable scientific investigations that touch upon virtually every class of astronomical object, environment and distance. These investigations will exploit archival data acquired by the dark energy and microlensing surveys, and dedicated surveys proposed by the community through the WFIRST Guest Investigator program.
IPAC's role:
NASA has indicated its intent to assign to IPAC the role associated with major mission science centers in support of a WFIRST mission, analogous to the Spitzer Science Center assignment. IPAC is participating in the formulation phase study.
